When I asked a trusted local friend where I could punch in a few WiFi work hours while vacationing in Honolulu, he suggested his favorite spot, R&D. I was thrilled that it was very close to where we were staying and my friend vouched for the coffee and art books. Upon discovering R&D, I wished it were my own office space. This design bookstore/café/open workspace had such a great vibe: the guests, spread out across the roomy space, clearly all had the creative and entrepreneurial blood coursing through them.

In addition to satiating my caffeine thirst with coffee by Stumptown and locally-sourced beans from Morning Glass who operates the coffee shop, an added perk is the take-out friendly Hank’s Haute Dogs, around the corner. While I was busy answering work e-mails, my eyes did often wonder irresistibly to the design and culinary publications (ie. _Lucky Peach and the Wallpaper City Guides) lining the bookshelves through which I wished I had time to browse. Before a trip to Hawaii, do check out the listing on R&D’s website for cultural events hosted at this multifunctional space. One recent guest speaker was Joao Ribas, curator of MIT’s List Visual Arts Center.